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Do you need iron supplements?

Highlights

Iron is a mineral responsible for carrying oxygen in your red blood cells and transmitting nerve impulses. Not having enough iron in the body is known as anemia.

Most people get enough iron in their diets. If they don’t, iron supplements are available.

Some of the reasons a person may need iron supplements are because they take certain medications, exercise frequently, or are female.

Iron is a mineral that’s vital to your
health. All of your cells contain some iron, but most of the iron in your body
is in your red blood cells. Red blood cells transport oxygen from your lungs to
the organs and tissues throughout your body.

Iron has a role in creating energy from
nutrients. It also contributes to the transmission of nerve impulses — the
signals that coordinate the actions of different parts of your body. If you
have more iron than is needed, it’s stored in your body for future use.

The average American gets all the iron they
need from the foods they eat. But there are certain situations and conditions
that may make it necessary to add supplemental iron to your diet.

Iron deficiency anemia is the most common form of anemia in the United
States. Almost five million Americans have it.

Common causes of anemia include:

menstruation, particularly if
flow is heavy or prolonged

peptic ulcer disease

cancer in the digestive tract

blood loss from trauma or blood
donation

gastrointestinal bleeding from
prolonged use of medications like aspirin and ibuprofen

You’re pregnant

Women who aren’t pregnant or nursing need to
take in 15 to 18 milligrams of iron daily. Women who are pregnant need
significantly more iron. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH),
the recommended dietary allowance of iron for pregnant women is 27 milligrams
per day.

Don’t double up on your prenatal vitamins if
you’re concerned that you’re not getting enough iron. This could cause you to
get too much of other vitamins, and may hurt your baby. Instead, talk to your
doctor about taking an iron supplement along with your prenatal vitamin.

You have an infant

Babies build stores of excess iron from their
mothers while they’re in the womb. These stores are used during their first six
months of life when they’re nursing. You should add iron-fortified foods to
their diet when your baby is 6 months of age.

Most pediatricians recommend using a formula
that’s fortified with iron if you bottle-feed your baby. Premature babies who
haven’t had time to build their iron stores are likely to need supplemental
iron.

You menstruate

Menstruation depletes iron stores. This is
why women have higher anemia rates than men. Some
research suggests that ethnicity is a risk factor for anemia. It is estimated that 19 percent of African-American and Mexican-American women
are anemic. Compared to 9 to 12 percent of non-Hispanic white women.

You exercise

According to the Office on Women’s Health, female
athletes are at an increased risk for iron deficiency. The exact reason isn’t
known. Researchers theorize that athletes may need more red blood cells to
carry oxygen so they can keep exercising.

Talk to your doctor if you’re very active and
you are experiencing symptoms associated with anemia.

You experience regular blood loss

People who experience excessive blood loss often
need extra iron. Regular blood donors and people who have gastrointestinal
bleeding are at risk. Gastrointestinal bleeding can be caused by medications or
conditions such as ulcers and cancer. Donating blood on a regular basis isn’t
recommended if you’re consistently low in iron.

You’re on dialysis

Many people who are on kidney dialysis need
extra iron. The kidneys are responsible for making erythropoietin, a hormone
that tells the body to make red blood cells. If the kidneys don’t work as well,
anemia is often a side effect.

You may lose a small amount of blood during dialysis.
And dialysis diets also often limit iron intake. Some medications that people
on dialysis take can use up iron or interfere with the body’s ability to absorb
it.

Talk to your doctor about how to maintain
healthy blood iron levels if you’re on dialysis.

You take iron depleting medications

Some medications can interfere with your
body’s ability to absorb iron. Medications that can deplete iron include:

You have ADHD

After studying blood levels of iron,
ferritin, vitamin D, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus, the researchers found
children with ADHD had lower levels of iron and ferritin. Ferritin stores iron
inside the cells for later use.

You have ACE inhibitor associated cough

Doctors prescribe ACE inhibitors to treat a
number of conditions, including:

heart disease

high blood pressure

type 2 diabetes

mild kidney disease

ACE inhibitors may even help prevent kidney
disease in those with type 2 diabetes.

A dry cough is a common side effect of the
medication. According to a study published in the Journal
of the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System,
people who took 200 milligrams of ferrous sulfate supplement daily, at least
two hours after taking their ACE inhibitor, were less likely to have a cough.

The researchers found taking iron increased
the amount of nitric oxide in the blood. Nitric oxide helps to reduce ACE
inhibitor-associated coughs.

The takeaway

Most people respond well to taking iron
supplements, which are available in capsules. Some people with very low iron
levels may need intravenous iron.

Ideally, you should take iron supplements on
an empty stomach because food can decrease the amount of iron your body
absorbs. Taking iron supplements with foods or drinks that have vitamin C will
help your body absorb the iron.

Be sure to take only the recommended dose of
iron. Too much can be toxic, especially for children. And talk to your doctor
to find out how long you need to take an iron supplement.